Ring box



Nov. 7, 1967 D. c. HARRIS RING BOX Filed April 24, 1967 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY DALE c. HARRIS United States Patent 3,351,186 RING BOX Dale C. Harris, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor to Creative Packaging Incorporated Filed Apr. 24, 1967, Ser. No. 633,100 8 Claims. (Cl. 206-76) ABSTRACT OF THE DHSCLOSURE A ring box assembly of self-supporting sheet material with a removable ring retainer having two integrally hinged halves which interlock with a ring in their closed position and permit removal of the ring when opened.

Brief summary of the invention In the past a large variety of boxes have been designed for shipping and displaying ornamental rings. Some of the requirements that such boxes strive to fulfill are low cost in production, attractive appearance, durability and ability to properly protect a ring. Lately boxes for rings have been formed from plastic materials which enable a reduction in cost. However, in order to prevent the ring from being unseated and marred during shipment such boxes have employed means that generally add to the expense of the box. Thus, spring devices have been used to maintain a protective cover in flush contact with the face of a ring. Such protective covers serve a dual purpose in that they usually exert pressure on the ring to prevent it from becoming unseated as well as preventing any foreign matter from scratching the face of the ring if it should become unseated. However, since these protective covers obscure the face of the ring, the ornamental features of the ring cannot be readily displayed without removing the ring.

The invention described herein comprises the use of plastic materials to form a ring box which is capable of securely positioning a ring in a retainer device. The box comprises three elements: a base, a cover and a ring retainer, all of which are formed from plastic material. The novel concept of this invention further enables the use of plastic material in the form of self-supporting resilient sheet material thereby keeping the weight of the box to a minimum.

In general, the base, cover and ring retainer are all formed from plastic sheet material by conventional vacuum or pressureforming molding techniques. Sheet material is heated and then placed over a forming tool or surface of a mold. The mold is then heated and air pressure may be used to conform the heated sheet material with the configuration of the forming surface. The resulting base, cover and ring retainer have a configuration which enables them to engage with each other Without the use of any additional means such as adhesive, latches, metallic pin hinges, etc. Briefly, this is accomplished by providing inwardly extending ridges about the peripheries of the cover and base. The ring retainer which comprises two integrally hinged halves is seated underneath the bases ridge and is further secured in this position by placing the cover in engagement with the base. A ring is secured within the ring retainer and maintained there as a result of a pair of raised areas on adjacent faces of the retainer halves. When the retainer is in its closed position these raised areas are flush and extend through the circular portion of the ring.

It is therefore one object of this invention to provide a new and improved ring box which can be formed of inexpensive and light weight plastic material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a ring box which securely retains a ring without the necessity of any surface of the box contacting the face of the ring.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved ring box comprising only three elements which may be engaged with each other without the use of additional means.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent upon reading the following description in connection with the drawing.

Brief description of drawing FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled ring box of this invention with a ring.

FIG. 2 is an exploded plan view of the three members forming the ring box.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the ring retainer prior to its insertion in the ring box.

FIG. 4 is a front view in elevation of the ring retainer; and

FIG. 5 is a partial view in cross section of the assembled ring box taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1 bisecting a corner of the ring box.

Detailed description of the invention Referring to FIG. 1, the ring box of this invention comprises a base or receptacle 11, a cover 13 and a ring retainer 15. All three of these elements may be formed from a self-supporting resilient sheet material and, in particular, a plastic material such as polystyrene or polypropionate. However, it is to be understood that the ring box of this invention is not restricted to the use of plastic materials and that other sheet materials including paperboard and metal may be used so long as they have sufiicient strength to be self-supporting and are resilient.

Referring to FIG. 2, the receptacle 11 is a shell-like member formed in the general configuration of an inverted truncated pyramid. In the particular embodiment, base 11 has four like trapezoidal side walls 16 which are on an inclined or converging relationship with each other. Bottom wall 18 is in the configuration of a square. However, it is to be understood that other configurations including triangular and circular cross sections may be used. An inwardly extending ridge 20 is formed about the periphery of the open end of receptacle 11. This ridge may be continuous although other modifications are also suitable on the condition that the ridge is adjacent the four corners 21 of receptacle 11. Receptacle 11 and the other two elements of this box may all be formed from a pressuremolding technique. The elements are stripped from their dies without any difiiculty inasmuch as ridge 20 does not extend inwardly to any substantial degree.

Cover 13 as illustrated in FIG. 2 is of similar configuration with inclined or converging trapezoidal side walls 23. Top wall 24 is a square and may be substantially the same dimensions as bottom wall 18 of the receptacle. An inwardly extending ridge 26 similar to ridge 20 of the receptacle is formed about the periphery of the open end of cover 13. Cover 13 is preferably formed from a transparent material in order to display a ring 28 without removing the cover.

Ring retainer 15 may be formed from a sheet material which is flocked to provide a velvet surface. Such a surface is not required but enhances the appearance of the box and provides a better gripping surface without scratching the ring. The ring retainer as shown in FIG. 4 comprises two halves, 30 which are integrally connected by a thin web 32 of plastic material that serves as a hinge. The retainer may be pressure formed on dies in the position shown in FIG. 4 which may be considered the open position. Referring to FIG. 3, each of the integrally hinged halves 30 has a face 33 with depressions 35 and raised areas 36. The depressions 35 are arcuate in order to substantially conform with the circular portion of ring 28. The raised area 36 comprises a leg portion 38 and a semi- 3 circular portion 39. The semicircular portions 39 of the two retainer halves are preferably proportioned so that they come into contact with each other when the ring retainer is in its closed position of FIG. 2. On the other hand, it is desirable that the leg portions 38 of the two halves remain slightly spaced apart.

In assembling the ring box of this invention, a ring may first be placed into ring retainer 15. The circular portion of the ring is set adjacent hinge 32 and below leg portion 38. The ring retainer is designed to be used on a variety of ring sizes including a small womans ring to a mans large class ring. Thus, for small rings the circular portion of the ring may partially lie adjacent the raised surface comprising leg portion 38. In such instances each leg portion 38 will be partially deformed at its distal end when the retainer is closed to assume the position of FIG. 2. Thus, the bottom portion of the ring is actually gripped by the two legs. Ring retainer 15 further serves as a pair of jaws by the engagement of semicircular raised portions 39 which pass through the circular portion of ring 28. With the ring now captured by retainer 15 the assembly may be inserted into receptacle 11.

As can be observed in FIGS. 4 and 5, retainer 15 has a flange 41 about its periphery. This flange is of suflicient extension to engage underneath ridge 20 in the receptacle. It is not essential that all portions of flange 41 become seated underneath ridge 20. However, it is desirable that flange 41 be engaged underneath the corners 21 of the receptacle. With such engagement at the four points of the receptacle the retainer is removably locked into position on a triangulation principle in that at least three points will assure retention of the retainer during the removal and replacement of the ring therein.

With the retainer and ring now in place in receptacle 11, cover 13 may be attached. This is accomplished by securing ridge 26 of the cover underneath ridge 20 of the receptacle as shown in FIG. 5. It is also to be noted that ridge 26 rests against retainer 15 adjacent its flange 41 and consequently exerts a downward pressure on the retainer. Inasmuch as side walls 16 of the receptacle are inclined, this downward pressure further assures positive seatment of the retainer. Although cover 13 is shown to be fully removable from receptacle 1], it may also be hinged to the receptacle by a thin web of plastic material.

Keeping in mind that the cover is made of a deformable and resilient sheet material, it may readily be removed by bowing it slightly inwardly on two opposing sides and lifting upward. The retainer 15 need not be removed from receptacle 11 in order to remove the ring. By pulling upward on the ring the lower portion of the ring which butts against leg portions 38 will cause the retainer to lift slightly upward. This force in turn causes the two halves 30 and their semicircular raised portions 39 to flex apart without causing disengagement of retainer flange 41 from the receptacles ridge 20. With the semicircular portions now spaced apart, the lower circular portion of the ring may pass therethrough. If desired, the ring may be replaced in the retainer by following the above-described procedure in reverse with the semicircular portions 39 first being separated to permit passage of the circular portion of the ring. 7

Thus, the novel combination of elements of this invention provide an attractive inexpensive and light-weight box which securely maintains a ring and prevents unwanted contact against the face of the ring. Although only one embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described, it is apparent that other modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of this invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A ring box comprising:

an open end receptacle of self-supporting resilient sheet material with an inwardly extending ridge adjacent its open end;

a ring retainer with two integrally hinged halves of de formable self-supporting sheet material mounted in said receptacle with a portion of its bottom periphery seated underneath said receptacles inwardly extending ridge and adjacent thereto, said halves having adjacent faces with depressions and raised areas adapted for removably retaining a ring therebetween;

and a cover of self-supporting sheet material with an inwardly extending ridge about the periphery of its open end in complementary engagement with the inwardly extending ridge of said receptacle and contacting said retainer at points adjacent the bottom periphery of said ring retainer.

2. A ring box in accordance with claim 1 in which portions of the raised areas on the adjacent faces of said halves are in contact with each other.

3. A ring box in accordance with claim 2 in which the depressions in the adjacent faces of said halves cooperate with each other to define a cavity in substantial conformity with the circular band portion of a ring.

4. A ring box in accordance with claim 3 in which the inwardly extending ridges adjacent the open end of said receptacle and cover are continuous and define a plurality of corners.

5. A ring box in accordance with claim 4 in which the bottom periphery of said ring retainer defines a plurality of corners coinciding with the corners of said receptacle and cover.

6. A ring box in accordance with claim 5 in which the portion of the inwardly extending ridge of said cover in complementary engagement with the inwardly extending ridge of said receptacle includes said corners.

7. A ring box in accordance with claim 6 in which the inwardly extending ridges of said cover and receptacle define rectangles.

8. A ring box in accordance with claim 7 in which said receptacle has four converging trapezoidal walls extending from its open end to a bottom surface whereby said receptacle comprises an inverted truncated pyramid.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS LOUIS G, MANCENE, Primary Examiner, 

1. A RING BOX COMPRISING: AN OPEN END RECEPTACLE OF SELF-SUPPORTING RESILIENT SHEET MATERIAL WITH AN INWARDLY EXTENDING RIDGE ADJACENT ITS OPEN END; A RING RETAINER WITH TWO INTEGRALLY HINGED HALVES OF DEFORMABLE SELF-SUPPORTING SHEET MATERIAL MOUNTED IN SAID RECEPTACLE WITH A PORTION OF ITS BOTTOM PERIPHERY SEATED UNDERNEATH SAID RECEPTACLE''S INWARDLY EXTENDING RIDGE AND ADJACENT THERETO, SAID HALVES HAVING ADJACENT FACES WITH DEPRESSION AND RAISED AREAS ADAPTED FOR REMOVABLY RETAINING A RING THEREBETWEEN; 